Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin introduced two bills in the state Assembly on Friday, January 10, proposing amendments in the applicability of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, (BNS) and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, (BNSS) along with amendments to the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, 1998, calling for more stringent punishments for crime against women.
The Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act currently provides imprisonment of 3 years and a fine of Rs 10,000 for harassment of women including digital and electronic harassment. The proposed amendment will set the penalty to 5 years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1 lakh, for the first conviction and 10 years with a fine of Rs 10 lakh for subsequent convictions.
Likewise, the penalty for causing death by harassment which presently calls for a life sentence with a fine of Rs 50,000 will be extended to life with a fine of Rs 2 lakh in cases where there was an intent to kill.
Penalty for death caused without intent has been raised to 15 years imprisonment with a fine of Rs 2 lakh from the previous 10 years and Rs 50,000 fine. Likewise, death due to negligence has been proposed with a penalty of 15 years imprisonment with a fine of Rs 1 lakh from the previous 10 years and Rs 5000 fine.
This proposed legislation comes amid the widely publicized sexual harassment case at Anna University where a 19-year-old female student was allegedly harassed at the campus by an outsider. She was talking with a male friend on the campus when the accused, Gnanasekaran, approached them and threatened the male friend to leave after which he sexually assaulted the victim.
The Madras High Court has called for an all-women special investigation team to probe into the case after lapses were found on the police’s side such as revealing the identity of the victim which goes against the Supreme Court guidelines.
